Letter of recommendation

Letter of recommendation

From Forum Keadilan

Laksamana Sukardi's article in Forum Keadilan No. 7, Year III, invites comment. Laksamana said that although a letter of recommendation is given to a criminal or corruptor the author of such a letter cannot be sued because there is no article in the criminal code which justifies it.

I consider it an absolute mistake. The substance of law is not always found in the articles of a law. The writer of the recommendation has violated the law and his action is against moral values and virtues. We know in theory the science of law, i.e. a certain factor that causes something to take place. In the Bapindo case, Soedomo is a factor which caused corruption to take place. As a Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security and Chief of the Supreme Advisory Council, he should have known that his recommendation would influence Bapindo officials. He convincingly said in his recommendation that Eddy Tansil was a loyal, reliable entrepreneur, being of good character. In fact, he did not know the caliber of Eddy Tansil for sure.

Taking the above mentioned matter into account, the source of the recommendation can, under the law, be considered guilty (Article 56 of the Criminal Code) as a man who abetted an activity that caused losses to the state.

AGOES RAJASA SIADARI

Tasikmalaya, West Java